1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally pertains to providing wireless access to a server by a mobile user wherein data charges associated with accessing the server are borne by the content provider.
2. Prior Art
The GSM system for mobile communications includes the capability of establishing not only voice traffic, but data traffic. This capability, called Generalized Packet Radio Service (“GPRS”) is used to transfer data, including Internet Protocol (“IP”) structured data. The data communication capability is increasingly popular with the growth of so-called “smart phones” and other wireless devices, such as tablets, that are capable of displaying text, images and rich media. Common data-oriented applications include mobile web browsing, accessing location based maps, sending photos, responding to email, Voice over IP (“VoIP”), etc. Thus, many of the common data applications used by GSM users rely on GPRS for data transfer.
Typically, GSM service providers charge a separate fee to subscribers for data service. Two common data plans are offered by wireless service providers. A minority of users have “unlimited” data plans where the monthly fees for sending/receiving data are fixed regardless of data usage. These so-called “unlimited data plans” allow transferring an unlimited amount of data to/from a mobile station each month. The other common data plan is called a “tiered,” “measured service,” or “metered” plan.” In a tiered plan, subscribers have a tiered data pricing plan, where limited amounts of data (usually measured in megabytes) can be transferred for a fixed fee each month. Typically, there are different tiers or levels of fixed fees reflecting different levels of data transfer. Data transfer during a billing period that exceeds a limit for a given tier is then billed at the higher tier. Thus, fees increase as usage increases.
In addition to the above unlimited and metered plans, wireless users may pay for wireless data transfer service on a post-paid or pre-paid basis. A post-paid arrangement is where an invoice is sent to the user indicating an amount due for services already rendered. A pre-paid arrangement is where data usage is paid for in advance of receiving services. User's pay in advance for data usage, and their available credit may be decremented as data services are consumed. These can be pre-paid tiered plans, or pre-paid unlimited plans. Other variations are possible. For example, unlimited usage plans may be defined for a daily basis, billing period basis, or some other term.
A prepaid or tiered data service plan can serve as an incentive for a user to limit their data usage. Content providers are thus indirectly competing for users' access when the user has a limited data plan. Because users may not readily know how much data has been transferred relative to the allotted amount, users may be hesitant to use any data after a time period into their billing cycle. Thus, incidental or spontaneous mobile browsing may be limited by a subscriber's fear of exceeding their monthly tiered data plan and having to pay additional fees. One solution to avoid this disincentive is to provide a mechanism for the content provider to pay for data usage in certain cases. In essence, any data transferred by a user when accessing, for example, a specified web site, would not be considered as part of the user's monthly data volume.
This application is not unlike the development of toll-free telephone service (a.k.a. “800 service”), which was developed to encourage use of the telephone for long distance calls. At that time, phone usage was frequently billed on a measured service basis—e.g., long distance calls were charged based on time and distance. Callers were hesitant to use the phone to place orders or receive product information from businesses that were not local because long distance calls incurred additional fees. The provision of toll free telephone service encouraged people to use their telephone to call distant businesses without fear of incurring long-distance charges.
Similarly, toll free data access for mobile users can be used by businesses to encourage access to their respective business web sites and thus drive customer traffic to their web sites for reviewing products, placing orders, etc.
Thus, systems and methods are required for facilitating toll free data usage for mobile users.